Providing enhanced cellular communication in a facility

Abstract

In various embodiments, methods, systems, software, and apparatuses for providing access to an enhanced cellular network of a facility. Different subscriber profiles may be established to enable different types of access to the extended cellular network, which may grant access to the Internet, a private network, one or more building systems of a facility, or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for a subscriber profile from a mobile device of a subscriber;   determining a connectivity profile based at least in part on the request received, wherein the connectivity profile comprises one or more connectivity characteristics for providing access to the cellular network that facilitates control of one or more building systems of the facility; and   sending the subscriber profile to the mobile device, wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the determined connectivity profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subscriber profile comprises an embedded Subscriber Identification Module (eSIM) profile. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: (i) receiving an acknowledgment that the subscriber profile has been installed on the mobile device; and (ii) responsive to receiving the acknowledgement, activating the subscriber profile on the cellular network of the facility. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein activating the subscriber profile comprises sending an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) activation notification to a subscription database. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the cellular network of the facility is associated with a plurality of facilities, and wherein activating the subscriber profile comprises granting the mobile device access to the cellular network at least a subset of the plurality of facilities. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request comprises receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising prior to receiving the request: (i) generating an indicator of the URL; and (ii) providing the indicator to the subscriber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the indicator comprises the URL, a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) link, a Quick Response (QR) code, or a bar code. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein providing the indicator to the subscriber comprises sending the indicator to a display, a kiosk, a web portal, a user device, or the mobile device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the URL is unique to the subscriber, subscriber type, event, facility, or venue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connectivity characteristics comprise a Quality of Service (QOS) level, an access level, a time during which access to the cellular network is granted or denied, and/or a bandwidth setting. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the access level comprises a level of access to (i) information accessible via the cellular network, (ii) a data network accessible via cellular network, and/or (iii) a device operatively coupled with the cellular network. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular network is operatively coupled to the one or more building systems. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more building systems comprises a device ensemble having a housing that encloses the one or more devices that comprise: (i) sensors, (ii) a transceiver, or (iii) a sensor and an emitter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more building systems comprise a tintable window. 
     
     
         16 . A system for establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, the system configured to perform any one of the methods of  claims 1 to 15 . 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable program instructions for establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, which non-transitory computer readable program instructions, when executed by one or more processors operatively coupled to a cellular network, cause the one or more processors to execute, or direct execution of, any one of the methods of  claims 1 to 15 . 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, the apparatus comprising at least one controller, which at least one controller is configured to execute, or direct execution of, any one of the methods of  claims 1 to 15 . 
     
     
         19 . A system for establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, the system comprising:
 a communication network configured to:   transmit a request for a subscriber profile from a mobile device of the subscriber; and   transmit the subscriber profile to the mobile device, wherein:   (i) a connectivity profile, determined based at least in part on the request, comprises one or more connectivity characteristics for providing access to the cellular network that facilitates control of one or more building systems of the facility; and   (ii) the subscriber profile is associated with the determined connectivity profile.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the communication network is configured to transmit one or more signals configured to facilitate adjustment of an environment of the facility. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the communication network comprises the cellular network. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the communication network is operatively coupled to a power source and configured for power transmission. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the communication network is configured to utilize at least one wireless protocol that (i) utilizes radio frequency signals and/or (ii) facilitates communication with one or more sensors. 
     
     
         24 . A non-transitory computer readable program instructions for establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, which non-transitory computer readable program instructions, when executed by one or more processors operatively coupled to a communication network, cause the one or more processors to execute operations comprising:
 receiving, or directing receipt of, through the communication network a request for a subscriber profile from a mobile device of the subscriber;   determining, or directing determination of, a connectivity profile based at least in part on the request received, wherein the connectivity profile comprises one or more connectivity characteristics for providing access to the cellular network that facilitates control of one or more building systems of the facility; and   sending, or directing sending of, the subscriber profile to the mobile device, wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the determined connectivity profile.   
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer readable program instructions of  claim 24 , wherein the communication network comprises the cellular network of the facility. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer readable program instructions of  claim 24 , wherein at least a portion of the program instructions are disposed remotely from the facility. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer readable program instructions of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more processors comprise a processor disposed in a device ensemble of the facility, the device ensemble having a housing that encloses the one or more devices that comprise: (i) sensors, (ii) a transceiver, or (iii) a sensor and an emitter. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus for establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, the apparatus comprising at least one controller, which at least one controller is configured to:
 (i) receive, or direct receipt of, through a communication network a request for a subscriber profile from a mobile device of the subscriber;   (ii) determine, or direct determination of, a connectivity profile based at least in part on the request received, wherein the connectivity profile comprises one or more connectivity characteristics for providing access to the cellular network that facilitates control of one or more building systems of the facility; and   (iii) send, or direct sending of, the subscriber profile to the mobile device, wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the determined connectivity profile.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a controller that is disposed in, or attached to, a fixture of the facility. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a controller that is disposed in a device ensemble of the facility, the device ensemble having a housing that encloses the one or more devices that comprise: (i) sensors, (ii) a transceiver, or (iii) a sensor and an emitter. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus for establishing subscriber identity in a cellular network of a facility, the apparatus comprising:
 a device ensemble of the facility, the device ensemble having devices comprising (a) sensors, (b) a sensor and an emitter, or (c) a transceiver, the devices of the device ensemble are disposed in a housing, the device ensemble configured to (A) measure an environment of the facility and (B) output sensor measurements, the device ensemble is configure to be accessible to a mobile device of the subscriber, the mobile device operatively is configured to operatively couple with the communication at least in part by being configured to:   (a) receive through the communication network a request for a subscriber profile from the mobile device of the subscriber;   (b) determine a connectivity profile based at least in part on the request received, wherein the connectivity profile comprises one or more connectivity characteristics for providing access to the cellular network of the facility that facilitates control of one or more building systems of the facility; and   (c) send the subscriber profile to the mobile device, wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the determined connectivity profile.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the device ensemble is configured for disposition in a fixture of the facility, or attached to a fixture of the facility. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the device ensemble is configured to operatively couple to a control system of the facility. 
     
     
         34 . A method of enabling a mobile device of a subscriber to communicate via a cellular network of a facility, the method comprising:
 receiving a request from the mobile device to access the cellular network of the facility, wherein:   (i) the request comprises data from the mobile device based at least in part on a subscriber profile accessible by the network, and   (ii) the subscriber profile is associated with a connectivity profile comprising one or more connectivity characteristics for providing access to the cellular network associated with the facility, the cellular network facilitating control of one or more building systems of the facility; and   subsequent to receiving the request, providing the mobile device access to the cellular network of the facility in accordance with the one or more connectivity characteristics.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the subscriber profile comprises an embedded Subscriber Identification Module (eSIM) profile. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: (i) receiving an acknowledgment that the subscriber profile has been installed on the mobile device; and (ii) responsive to receiving the acknowledgement, activating the subscriber profile on the cellular network of the facility. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein activating the subscriber profile comprises sending an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) activation notification to a subscription database. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the cellular network of the facility is associated with a plurality of facilities, and wherein activating the subscriber profile comprises granting the mobile device access to the cellular network at least a subset of the plurality of facilities. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein receiving the request comprises receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising prior to receiving the request: (i) generating an indicator of the URL; and (ii) providing the indicator to the subscriber. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the indicator comprises the URL, a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) link, a Quick Response (QR) code, or a bar code. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein providing the indicator to the subscriber comprises sending the indicator to a display, a kiosk, a web portal, a user device, or the mobile device. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the URL is unique to the subscriber, subscriber type, event, facility, or venue. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more connectivity characteristics comprise a Quality of Service (QOS) level, an access level, a time during which access to the cellular network is granted or denied, and/or a bandwidth setting. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the access level comprises a level of access to (i) information accessible via the cellular network, (ii) a data network accessible via cellular network, and/or (iii) a device operatively coupled with the cellular network. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the cellular network is operatively coupled to the one or more building systems. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more building systems comprises a device ensemble having a housing that encloses the one or more devices that comprise: (i) sensors, (ii) a transceiver, or (iii) a sensor and an emitter. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more building systems comprise a tintable window. 
     
     
         49 . A system for establishing subscriber identity in a communication network of a facility, the system configured to perform any one of the methods of  claims 34 to 48 . 
     
     
         50 . A non-transitory computer readable program instructions for establishing subscriber identity in a communication network of a facility, which non-transitory computer readable program instructions, when executed by one or more processors operatively coupled to a communication network, cause the one or more processors to execute, or direct execution of, any one of the methods of  claims 34 to 48 . 
     
     
         51 . An apparatus for establishing subscriber identity in a communication network of a facility, the apparatus comprising at least one controller, which at least one controller is configured to execute, or direct execution of, any one of the methods of  claims 34 to 48 .